Decades of service to Narrabri and district as a medical practitioner, and involvement in community organisations, will see the late Dr Robert (Bob) Anderson immortalised through a tribute at the Selina Street Common.

In a fitting tribute, Dr Anderson, who was a member of the Rotary Club of Narrabri, will be honoured as part of a Rotary project near his former Selina Street home.

For many years, the club sought to honour Dr Anderson’s service to the community and found the perfect place for acknowledgement through its redevelopment of the Selina Street picnic shelter area.

Narrabri Shire councillors endorsed plans by the Rotary Club to install a park bench, named in honour of Dr Anderson, at Tuesday afternoon’s ordinary meeting.

Rotary will be responsible for the costs of the supply and installation of the park bench which will be located near the club’s new shelters and barbecue.

Rotary’s redevelopment of the Selina Street picnic area represents an almost $60,000 investment, including donations.

Long-time Rotarian and friend of Dr Anderson, Rob Walker described the decision to allow the tribute to proceed as good news.

At Tuesday’s council meeting, councillors recalled their connections to Dr Anderson.

Moving the motion to allow the project to proceed, Cr Ron Campbell said Dr Anderson had delivered him. Cr Campbell also praised Rotary’s initiative.

“This is a good thing, something the Rotary Club has been wanting to do and it’s very admirable of them to continue to pursue this,” Cr Campbell said. “They’ve got themselves hopefully a nice structure there in Selina Street and I fully endorse the process.”

Cr Brett Dickinson, who seconded the motion, said Dr Anderson may have delivered him, while Cr Greg Lamont recalled Dr Anderson stitching up his face following a rugby league match.

Mayor Darrell Tiemens described Dr Anderson as a thoroughly lovely man who was well respected around the community.

Information submitted by Rotary to Narrabri Shire Council noted Dr Anderson’s extensive service to the community.

Dr Anderson served as a rural medical practitioner in the district for almost 50 years. He was a visiting surgeon at the Narrabri District Hospital from 1958 to 1998 and the state government medical officer from 1997 to 2007. Dr Anderson was also a Commonwealth medical officer from 1977 to 2007.

He held numerous positions relating to his medical profession in the community, including with the Police Citizens Boys Club, Red Cross Blood Bank, Narrabri Tuberculosis Clinic, early immunisation clinics, Tibbereena Aboriginal Reserve and the Aged Care Assessment Team.

Dr Anderson was an honorary member of the Rotary Club of Narrabri from 1988 to 2007 and then a full member until his death in November 2015.

Dr Anderson’s dedication to the community and medical profession was honoured through a testimonial dinner hosted by the Narrabri District Hospital board in 1987, as Rotarian of the Year in 2003/04, a recipient of Rotary’s Paul Harris Fellowship in 2005 and he was ultimately awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2008. Dr Anderson died aged 91 on November 19, 2015.

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